SoCal Tap Water Best Tasting At International Competition

LOS ANGELES, CA — Apparently the herculean effort to get water to millions of Southern California homes has the fringe benefit of making it taste delicious.

Water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California place took first place in an international competition to determine the best-tasting tap water, the agency announced Monday. The agency took top honors at the 31st annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition, which included entries from 14 countries and 19 states.

"While water quality and safety are always our utmost priorities, it's also important to us that consumers like the taste of our water," MWD General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger said in a statement. "Good taste is an important confirmation for consumers of the quality of the water coming from their taps."

So what will you detect in the world's best-tasting tap water? Notes of chlorine and California's Sierra Nevada where the water originated.

According to MWD, the winning water originated in Northern California's Sierra Nevada, was imported through the State Water Project and treated at the Jensen Water Treatment Plant in Granada Hills with ozone gas. The water is also lightly treated with "a small amount of chlorine" as it leaves the plant for disinfection purposes. Water from the Jensen plant is circulated in Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties, and it is frequently blended with local supplies before reaching homes and businesses.

It's not the first time MWD has claimed the top prize. The agency also won the competition in 2008 and 1998, while placing second in 2000 and 2003.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.